Illuminated display case



Feb. 12, 1935. c, HODGKIN 1,990,826

ILLUMINATED DI SPLAY CASE Filed Oct. 1, 1932 Patented Feb. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES ILLUMINATED DISPLAY CASE Durbin C. Hodgkin, Detroit, Mich, assignor of one-fourth to Tom B. Owens, Forth Worth, Tex.

Application October 1,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in illuminated display cases.

In my former applications, Serial Nos. 310,581 and 310,582, filed October 5, 1928, now patents Nos. 1,381,417 and 1,880,202, respectively, granted Oct. 4, 1932, I have disclosed advertising signs in which difierent pictures were presented for view when a sign was subjected alternately to transmitted and reflected light. Transmitted light is the light passing through the sign from the rear, while reflected light is that which illuminates the front face of the sign from a point in front of it. When the sign is subjected to transmitted light, the picture on the front face is caused to fade out or disappear, and another picture disposed behind the first one is caused to be presented for view.

I have experienced some diificulty with the fade-out of the front picture when the signs have been displayed in direct or reflected rays of the sun, or in the presence of an overwhelming amount of artificial light.

However, I have discovered that these strong rays of light may be easily overcome by placing in front of the display surface of the sign a,

sheet of smoked glass or some other at least partially translucent material which will absorb the more violent rays of the sun or strong artificial light, and at the same time will allow the pictures to show through perfectly.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing my improvement applied to an illuminated display case; and

Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional view therethrough.

The numeral 1 represents a display-case of usual form having a source of illumination 2 therein, such as an electric lamp in front of which is a display sheet 3 which may be removable through a slot 4 in one of the sides or top of the case 1, and which sheet 3 has the signs or advertising matter depicted thereon, and may be of the character set forth in my former applications above referred to.

The sides of the display case 1 are projected forwardly of the sheet 3, as shown at 5, and receive a frame 6 within which is disposed a translucent sheet 7 preferably of smoked glass which will prevent the direct rays of the sun or of strong artificial light which is externally of the case from acting directly on the front face of the picture sheet 3.

Disposed in the space 8 between the sheets 3 and 7 is a front source of illumination, such as an electric lamp 9 supported within a reflector 1932, Serial No. 635,879

10 carried by a suitable support, such as a strap 11 extending over the top of the display case 1.

The lamps 2 and 9 are designed to be electrically connected to a flashing switch, so that they will be alternately illuminated.

By use of the smoked glass 7 or other translucent sheet in front of the advertising display, this may be placed in the direct rays of the sun, or in the presence of powerful artificial light, and as the front and back lights operate alternately, the actions or changes of scenery will be plainly visible and the fade-outs perfect.

This type of display is of tremendous value to advertisers who may not otherwise be able to have their advertisements show under artificial light, or in the presence of direct sunlight, or under certain other conditions where strong artificial light has been applied surrounding the display, such as powerful spot-lights and the like.

I claim:

1. An illuminated display-case having a display surface at the front thereof adapted to present different views when illuminated alternately by transmitted and reflected light, and a smoked transparent sheet disposed in front of said display surface in position to shield said surface from strong extraneous light.

2. An illuminated display-case having a display surface at the front thereof with illustrations depictedthereon to present different views when illuminated alternately by transmitted and reflected light, and having illuminating means on opopsite sides of said display surface adapted to alternately subject said surface to transmitted and reflected light, and a smoked trans-' parent sheet spaced in front of the illuminating means at the front side of said display surface in position to shield said surface from strong extraneous light.

3. An illuminated display-case having a dis play surface at the front thereof designed to present different views when alternately subjected to transmitted and reflected light, means arranged in front of said display surface for enclosing a chamber around the edges thereof, and having the front of said chamber closed by a sheet of translucent material spaced in front of the display surface, illuminating means mounted in said chamber in position to subject said display surface to reflected light, and illuminating means disposed behind the display surface in position to subject said surface to transdisplay surface having an illustration depicted thereon for view by reflected light, and having an illustration depicted behind the first illusstationfor view by transmitted light with means for causing a fade-out of. at least a part of the first illustration when subjected to transmitted light, illuminating .means in the case behind the display surface for subjecting the illustrations to transmitted light, illuminating means 10 arranged in front of the display surface for subjecting said surface to reflected light, and a sheet of transparent smoked material disposed in front of said display surface and in front of the reflected light illuminating means to reduce the effect of strong extraneous light on the display surface and thereby obtain a complete fadeout of atleast a part of the first-mentioned illustration when said display surface is subjected to transmitted light;

' DURBIN C. HODGKIN. 

